Studies in the News: Children and Family Supplement is a service provided to the
First 5 California by the California State Library.
The service features weekly lists of current articles focusing on Children and
Family policy. Prior lists can be viewed from the
California State Library's Web site at www.library.ca.gov/CRB/SITN/.

How to Obtain Materials Listed in SITN:

When available on the Internet, the URL for the full-text of each item is provided.

California State Employees may contact the State Information & Reference Center
(916-654-0206;
cslsirc@library.ca.gov) with the SITN issue number and the item number [S#].

All other interested individuals should contact their local library - the items may be available there, or
may be borrowed by your local library on your behalf.

["This issue brief attempts to answer the questions: How, and with what ease, are California's uninsured able to obtain specialty care, and how does their experience vary around the state? The research team found widespread problems ... with many communities experiencing worse access compared to just a few years ago.... [It] also lists short-term action steps for local health leaders ... and longer-term implications for state and national policymakers."]

["This issue brief provides insight into the issues associated with physician access for people covered by California's Medi-Cal and Healthy Families programs. The authors summarize five studies and the results of an extensive review of literature.... The findings underscore areas for improvements in California's public insurance programs and suggest dimensions of access that should continue to be monitored."]

["Significant numbers of older men whose results on a popular screening test for prostate cancer are normal may nonetheless have cancer, a new study has found. The result raises questions about what a normal test score should be and whether these men are better off let alone or treated when, through biopsies, cancer cells are discovered. New York Times (May 27, 2004) A1.]

["Dust on personal computers and other electronic gadgets can be contaminated with toxic substances that could lead to neurological and reproductive health problems, according to a report.... The toxic substances consist of manufacturing chemicals, called brominated flame retardants, which are used to help make PCs and other devices fire-resistant, the study said." San Francisco Chronicle (June 4, 2004) C1.]

["In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) enables more than 300,000 low-income elderly and younger disabled recipients to stay in their homes rather than live in more expensive institutional settings.... IHSS is key to California's compliance with the Olmstead decision, which requires that states provide services that allow people with disabilities to live in community settings rather than institutions. Proposed budget cuts in wages, benefits, and services will slow the growth and increase turnover of the workforce, make it more difficult to match consumers with competent providers, and severely undermine the effectiveness and integrity of IHSS."]

["Drawing from a long list of 'alternative' medical therapies as diverse as the Atkins diet, acupuncture, homeopathy and prayer, federal health researchers reported that nearly two out of three Americans were using unconventional approaches to mend their bodies or maintain their health." San Francisco Chronicle (May 28, 2004) A1.]

["The study examined changes in coverage among the employed, the unemployed, and those not in the labor force. During this period, the number of people who were unemployed or out of the labor force increased. The number of uninsured adults increased by 1.9 million between 1999 and 2002. The largest increase occurred among the unemployed, whose uninsurance rate went from 33.7 percent in 1999 to 34.6 percent in 2002." Assessing the New Federalism (May 20, 2004) 1.]

["The authors found that the low-income population was the hardest hit by the economic decline. Low-income adults were particularly adversely affected because the decline in employer-sponsored insurance was only slightly offset by the increase in Medicaid and state program coverage.... Among lower-middle-income adults the number reporting unmet need for care increased significantly, primarily because of unmet need for prescription drugs."]

["Radio Bilingüe recently received an award from the National Partnership for Immunization for getting a record number of children vaccinated. In the Bay Area, Northeast Medical Services credits their success in enrolling a record number of children in Healthy Families to local Chinese radio stations, Sing Tao 96.1 and KEST 1450 AM. In Orange County, Tu Nha Den Truong (From Home to School), a weekly Vietnamese radio show on parenting and child development is one of the most listened to programs on VNCR 106.3 FM radio station."]

["GAO outlined the several sources of federal funding available to help hospitals cover the costs of care for undocumented aliens, including Medicaid coverage for emergency medical services, supplemental Medicaid payments to hospitals treating a disproportionate share of low-income patients, and $100 million in funds made available to 12 states, including California, for FY 1998-2001 for emergency services to undocumented aliens."]

["Of the 1,156 medical malpractice trials litigated in the Nation's 75 most populous counties during 2001, most were disposed of by jury trial (96%). In an estimated 9 out of 10 medical malpractice trials, the alleged harm involved either a permanent injury (57%) or a death claim (33%). About half of the sampled medical malpractice trials were brought against surgeons, while a third were against nonsurgeons."]

["A key component of the new Medicare reform law is an overhaul of Medicare managed care, including a strong emphasis on recruiting private plans —- especially preferred provider organizations (PPO).... This study, based on findings from ... site visits to 12 nationally representative communities, explores the reasons for the strong growth in commercial PPO enrollment and examines whether PPOs ... can add value to Medicare."]

["Improvements in the care of Medicare patients with severe chronic conditions could prevent 1.7 million hospitalizations and produce more than $30 billion in savings each year, according to the Information Technology Association of America." Health Care Policy Report (May 17, 2004) 686.]

["The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently reported that poor nutrition and lack of physical activity are catching up to tobacco use as the leading cause of death in the United States.... To help improve nutrition, the U.S. Department of Agriculture provides nutrition education through five of its programs.... GAO identified several key actions ... that increased the likelihood that programs providing nutrition education will achieve their goals."]

["Since the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001, emergency preparedness has become a top priority in metropolitan areas, and some of these areas have received considerable federal funding to help support improvements. Although much progress has been made, preparedness still varies across communities.... Experience with other public health emergencies, strong leadership, successful collaboration, and adequate funding contributed to high states of readiness. Important challenges include a shortage of funding, delay in the receipt of federal funding, and staffing shortages."]

["Consumers faced with choosing an assisted living facility often do not have key information they need in order to identify the one most likely to meet their individual needs. Initiatives in Florida and Texas have made critical data for selection among facilities readily available to prospective assisted living residents."]

["Smoking among adults in California dropped to a record low of 16.2 percent in 2003, but smoking rates remained significantly higher among low-income people with less education." Sacramento Bee (May 27, 2004) A3.]

["A comprehensive analysis of government data shows that a significant number of working Americans in every state do not have health care coverage, with at least 20 million working Americans not having coverage." CNN.com (May 5, 2004) 1.]

["Today, there are nearly 44 million Americans without health insurance coverage. A substantial body of research shows that there are serious health and financial consequences associated with being uninsured. Moreover, research shows that leaving a large share of the population without health insurance affects not only those who are uninsured, but also the health and economic well-being of the nation. Yet, despite these findings, the number of uninsured Americans continues to grow. Although the national debate over ensuring health coverage for more Americans periodically gains momentum, it then stalls -- perhaps in part because not enough is known about both the benefits and the costs of expanding coverage to more, if not all, of the uninsured."]

[Includes: "Racial disparities in nursing home care;" "Attorney General sues over tuna labeling;" "No damages allowed against HMOs;" "Nursing homes in crisis;" "Schools can help obesity problem;" "Internet pharmacies' risk;" "Physical activity and community design;" "Smoking among high school students;" and others.]